Separable fastener



Feb. 7, 1939. e. suNDBAcK,v y 2,146,691

` SEPARABIQE FASTENER Original Filed Feb. 25, 1936 1 IM I /H 153.5. ,e L g1 a i f ""7 la 15 'lill #1111/ INVENTOR. Sundbac'l:

sgi/ways. 7' l' Patented Feb. 7, 1939 :it 5'?. FASTENER Gideon Shack, Meadville, Pa., assigner to Talon, Inc., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application Febry 25, i936, Serial No. 65,634

ewed January 13, 1938 10 Claims.

My invention relates to separable end connections for slide fasteners.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved separable end connection which shall besimple and compact in construction, certain and positive in its operation, and relatively cheap to manufacture.

Another object is to provide an improved form of end connection in'which the forces tending to separate the article with which the fastener is used will prevent unintentional separation of the connection.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown for purposes of illustration one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the bottom end of a slide fastener equipped with my separable end connection showing the end connection in section;

. Fig. 2 is a cross-section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a cross-section on line 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a view showing the pin member being pulled from the socket member;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view through the end connecting parts without the spring and showing the edges of a jacket; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the parts of my improved end connection.

The slide fastener may be of any conventional form such as that shown in Fig. 1. It comprises stringers l, 8 having corded edges 9, and rows of interlocking fastener elements I attached to the corded edges. A slider Il has a Y-shaped channel I2 (Fig, 4) and is moved along the fastener members by means of the pull tab I3.

Each of the corded edge stringers at its bottom end is enclosed in a reinforcement tape I4 (Fig. 2) which goes around the cord and extends to the side of the stringer tape. On one stringer there is secured a tubular member I (Fig. 6) which may be conveniently formed from sheet metal and is so designed that it will have a secure grip on the corded edge and reinforcement tape. Along the side of this member on each side of the tape there are formed the recesses I6 for a. purpose which will later appear.

The socket forming member comprises a boxshaped member I1 which may be conveniently made from sheet metal preferably having one of its ends closed as at I8 and its other end open. The side walls I9 are provided with slots j 20 through which the ends of the tapes may pass. This box-.shaped member is made of heavy material and is relatively rigid. It is mounted on and forms a housing for the lower end of the tubular member I5 and preferably the thickness of the tubular member is substantially the same as that of the socket formed by the box member so that there will be a tight fit. In order to ensure that the box member will be held permanently on the tubular member there are projections 2I on the side walls extending into the hollow part of the box member. The projections are formed by indenting the sidewalls and they will extend intothe recesses IISof the tubular member and prevent slipping ofi' of the box member. The end I8 of the box member is preferably indented at-22 to form an inner projection interlocking with the end of the tubular member I5 to prevent relative lateral movement of the tubular member in the box-shaped member.

On the other stringer there is a pin member 23 of generally the same shape as the tubular member I5, and secured to the stringer in substantially the same manner. 'I'his member has recesses 24 along its edge similar to t-he recesses I6. This pin member is adapted for endwise insertion into the rectangularly shaped socket 25 (Fig. 5), which constitutes the remaining portion of the hollow shaped box member not occupied by the member I5. This socket portion projects outwardly from the edge of the Stringer to which it is attached so that the pin member 23 may be easily inserted through the inclined upper portion of the slider channel and into the socket. The outer side wall of the socket member is indented to form projections 26 (which may have their corners rounded) `to cooperate with the recesses 24 in the pin member 23. The width of -the socket 25 is substantially greater than the width of the pin member 23 so that the pin may move laterally a sufilcient amount to allow the projection and recess 26 and 24, respectively, to become disengaged.

Fasteners of this character are generally used to connect a pair of edges to be joined, for example, the edges of a jacket to which the tapes of the stringers are sewed. In Fig. 5, 26a repres ents 'the edges of a jacket stitched to the tapes by seams 2Gb. In the luse of garments of this character there is normally a ,force tending to separate the edges of the garment in a direction cross-wise ofthe fastener, as indicated by the arrows 26C in Fig, 5. lThere also occurs from time to time a force tending to separate the two members of the end connection by movement lengthwise of the fastener, especially when the end connection is being initially coupled. One of the purposes of this invention is to provide means for resisting or positively preventing this longitudinal separation by utilizing the force cross- Wise of the fastener tending to separate the edges.

When the projections 26 and recesses 24 are engaged, longitudinal withdrawal of the pin from the socket is resisted Aor positively prevented.

'I'he resistance to longitudinal withdrawal of the pin may be made absolute, that is, a positive lock may be formed by forming a relatively sharp corner on the projection 26 and having its end surface and the surface of the notch 24 normal to the direction of withdrawal of the pin from the socket, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The force tending to separate the edges indicated by the arrows 26e moves the pin 2l laterally in the socket into the position shown in Fig. 5 where the projection 26 and recess 24 are in engagement.

If desired, a cantilever spring 21 (Figs. 1 and 3) may be used for resiliently holding the pin 23 against the outer wall of the socket to maintain the recess 24 and projection 26 in engagement. This spring is in the form of a U-shaped wire having ends 28 engaged in suitable recesses in the edges of the upper and lower walls of the boxshaped socket member. The metal of 'the socket member is indented adjacent the ends of the spring to hold the spring in place, and these indentations may also assist in maintaining the upper end of the pin member in position relative to the socket member.

In connecting the fastener together the pin member 23 is inserted lengthwise of the fastener into the socket. 'I'his can readily be done even with the form shown in Figs. 1 and 3 against the force of the spring 21. When the pin is fully inserted either the spring 21 or the normal forces tending to separate the edges will move the pin cross-wise of the fastener within the socket against the outer wall and bring the projection 26 and recess 24 into engagement to prevent accidental removal or slipping until the slider can be operated to interlock the elements i and close the remainder of the fastener. When it is desired to separate the end connection the slider is moved to the bottom position illustrated in Fig. 4, where it strikes against the end of the boxshaped member and an upward and outward pull is exerted on the stringers 1 above the slider. The component of this pull which is cross-wise of the fastener will overcome the normal forces in the article with which the fastener is used and rotate the pin to the position shown in Fig. 4 in which the projection 26 and recess 24 are disengaged. This will permit longitudinal withdrawal of the pin from the socket and slider.

In their manufacture the stringers may be formed as duplicates and it is merely necessary to manufacture in additionthe box-shaped member and assemble it with one ofthe tubular members. The assembly of the box-shaped member with the spring and tubular member is readily accomplished by means of the three simple indenting operations which have been described.

While I have shown and described in this application one embodiment which my invention may assumein practice, it will lbe understood that this embodiment is merely for the purposes of illustration and description and that various other forms may be devised within the scope of my invention as dened in the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A separable end connection for the stringers of a slide fastener comprising a member attached to the end of one stringer forming a rigid walled socket which projects from the edge of said Stringer, a pin member onthe other Stringer for insertion endwise into said socket, and cooperating engaging means on said pin member and socket forming member for retaining said pin member in inserted position, and yielding means carried by one of said members for holding said engaging means in operative relation.

2. A separable end connection for the stringers of a slide fastener `comprising a member on one stringer forming a socket which projects from the edge of the Stringer, a pin member on the other stringer for endwise insertion into said socket, said pin member being of smaller cross-sectional area than said socket whereby movement thereof relative to the walls of said socket is permitted after said pin member has been inserted, cooperating engaging means on one side of said pin and one wall of the socket for retaining said pin member in inserted position, and means carried by one of said members for yieldinglyholding said pin member against said wall of the socket to prevent accidental removal of the pin from the socket.

3. A separable end connection for the stringers of a slide fastener comprising a member on one stringer forming a socket which projects from the edge of the stringer, a pin member on the other Stringer for endwise insertion into said socket, said pin member being substantially narrower than the width of said socket whereby substantial side movement of the pin in the socket is permitted, a projection on one wall of the socket and a cooperating recess on the adjacent side o said pin. and yielding means for normally holding said pin against said wall whereby said projection and recess are yieldingly held together to retain said pin member in said socket.

4. A separable end connection for the stringers of a slide fastener comprising means on one Stringer forming a socket of rectangular shaped cross-section projecting from the edge of the Stringer, a pin member on the other stringer for endwise insertion into said socket, said pin member being substantially narrower than the width of the socket, and means for retaining said pinV member in said socket, comprising a recess and projection on one side wall of the socket and adjacent side of the pin, and means on the opposide side of said socket'for resiliently holding said pin against said ilrst mentioned side wall whereby said projection and recess are held together to prevent accidental removal of the pin from the socket.

5. A separable end connection for the stringers of s. slide fastener comprising a member on one stringer forming a socket of rectangular crosssection and a pin member on the other stringer for endwise insertion into said socket, said pin member being narrower than the width of said socket, and means for retaining said pin in said socket comprising a projection on the. outer side wall extending into the socket, a cooperating recess on the adjacent portion of the pin member, and a spring member mounted on the opposite side of the socket member for normally pressing said pin member againstA the outer wall of the socket to maintain said projection and recess in engaged relation.

6. In a slide fastener having a pair of stringers for connecting a pair of edges, a separable end connection comprising in combination a socket member on one Stringer, a pin member on the other stringer 'adapted to be inserted in the socket by movement lengthwise of the stringers, said pin member being movable within the socket in the direction cross-wise oi the stringers in the plane thereof, and a recess 24 on the pin and a projection 26 on the socket for resisting longitudinal withdrawal of the pin from the socket, said means being held in engagement by force tending to separate the edges.

7. In a slide fastener having a pair of stringers for connecting a pair oi. edges, a separable end connection comprising in combination a socket member on one Stringer, a pin member on the other Stringer adapted to be inserted in the socket by movement lengthwise of the stringers, said pin member being movable within the socket in the direction cross-wise ofthe stringers in the plane thereof, and cooperating recess and projection engaging means on the inner side of the pin and the adjacent socket wall for preventing longitudinal withdrawal of the pin from the socket, said means being held in engagement by force tending to separate the edges.

8. In a slide fastener having a pair of stringers for connecting a pair of edges, a separable end connection comprising in combination a socket member on one stringer, a pin member on the other stringer adapted to be inserted in the socket by movement lengthwise of the stringers, said pin member being movable within the socket in the direction cross-wise of the stringers'in the plane thereof, and means for positively locking the pin in the socket, said locking means comprising a recess and projection on the inner side of the pin and the adjacent longitudinal wall of the socket which tend to be held in engagement by a normal lateral force tending to separate the stringers.

9. A separable end connection for the strlngers of slide fasteners comprising a tubular member secured to the end of one stringer havlnga recess along its inner longitudinally extending edge,

a box-shaped socket forming member having one end closed and the other open, the side walls be ing provided with slots, said box-shaped member .forming a housing for the lower end of said tubular member, means for permanently retaining said box-shaped member on said tubular member, and a pin member on the other member having substantially the same shape as said tubular member, said pin member also having recesses on its inner edge, said pin member being adapted for endwise insertion into that portion of the socket which is not occupied by said tubular member, the slotted wall of said box-shaped member adjacent said pin member having a projection adapted to t into the pin member, the socket member being sumciently wide vto permit lateral movement of said pin member in said socket sufiiciently to disengage said projection and recess, and yielding means for normally holding said pin member against said slotted wall whereby the recess and projection are maintained in engagement so as to lock said pin member against accidental movement out of its socket.

10. The combination deiined `in the preceding claim wherein the means for retaining said socket member on the tubular member comprises projections on the side walls of the box-shaped member formed by indenting the side walls adjacent said tubular member.

GIDEON SUNDBACK. 

